Best Public Schools in Rochester, MN

Rochester, Minnesota is home to 39 schools serving students from elementary through high school — 19 elementary, 5 middle, 13 high, and 2 alternative schools — most of them in Rochester Public School District, which ranks 227 of 458 districts statewide at the 50th percentile with 3 stars; two charter districts also serve the city, Rochester Math and Science Academy and Rochester Beacon Academy, and enrollment ranges from 1,787 students at Mayo High School down to 6 at Care & Treatment at ESC.

The city’s top tier is led by Folwell Elementary School, which ranks 30/869 at the 97th percentile with 5 stars and the highest reported elementary proficiency in all three subjects: 76% math, 75.4% reading, and 46.4% science. Jefferson Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Lincoln K-8 School, Bamber Valley Elementary School, and Gibbs Elementary School form a strong upper tier. Among high schools, Century High School ranks 88th percentile with 42.9% science and a 1.2% dropout rate, while Mayo High School posts the highest comprehensive graduation rate at 91.8%. John Adams Middle School and Willow Creek Middle School are the strongest middle schools at roughly the 62nd–63rd percentile.

At the other end, Gage Elementary School is the lowest-performing elementary at the 3rd percentile with 0 stars, 12.1% math, 10.7% reading, and 6.1% science. Riverside Central Elementary School, Franklin Elementary School, Sunset Terrace Elementary School, and Pinewood Elementary School also rank low. John Marshall High School shows a split: an 89.8% graduation rate and 1.7% dropout rate, but 28.4% math and 41.6% reading. Free/reduced lunch is strongly associated with proficiency but not destiny — Elton Hills Elementary School and Overland Elementary School beat district and state results despite elevated FRL rates. Small specialized programs report — for scores, meaning the state suppressed those results.